Spreading dispensers



SPREADING DISPENSERS Filed Feb. 15. r954 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Unite States Part;

SPREADING DISPENSERS Malcolm Anderson, Osterley, and Herbert King, Winchmore Hill, London, England Application February 15, 1954, Serial No. 410,174

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 16, 1953 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-435) This invention relates to spreading dispensers, and has especial, but not exclusive reference to collapsible tubes for shaving cream, in connection with which it will be described. It Will be appreciated, however, that it may be applied to other containers holding cosmetic creams or other preparations to be applied to the person, or toan animal, or indeed to aninanimate surface, such as a sheet of material. It is an object of the invention to provide a spreading dispenser whereby such a preparation may be easily applied, e.g., to the human skin.

According to the invention a spreading dispenser for a container for a creamy substance comprises a rounded head having formed therein a narrow transverse exit slot approximately the same length as the breadth of the container.

The dispenser may be formed as a separate component and arranged to be secured to the container.

When the dispenser is formed as a separate component the end thereof remote from the transverse exit slot may be formed as a circular internally threaded neck for en gagement with the nozzle of a collapsible container. The end remote from the transverse exit slot may have in addition a threaded bush arranged to engage on its inside with the nozzle of a collapsible container and on its outside with the internally threaded neck of the dispenser.

The slot of the dispenser may house a transverse roller rotatably mounted therein.

Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a nozzle,

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation thereof,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of an adaptor therefor,

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the adaptor,

Figure 6 is a front elevation of another form of nozzle,

Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation thereof,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of a dispenser formed on a collapsible container,

Figure 9 is a plan thereof,

Figure 10 is a front elevation, partly sectioned.

Referring to the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the spreading dispenser is a separate component 14 arranged to be secured detachably to the nozzle of a collapsible tube of shaving cream of standard pattern. The nozzle of the tube (indicated at 17 in Figure 2) is formed with an exterior thread indicated at 18 and one end of the dispenser 14 is formed as a hollow sleeve 15 internally threaded as at 16 to engage with the thread 18 of the tube 17. This is the entry end of the dispenser. The dispenser consists of a nozzle increasing in Width from the narrow internally threaded entry end 15 to the exit end 19, at which the width is increased to about 1 /2". The thickness remains approximately constant. At the exit end 19, the exterior of the dispenser presents a smooth rounded surface, so that there are no edges or corners, and the radii of all the curves are of the order of or more. The end 19 is thus well adapted to slide smoothly over the human ice skin. At the exit end 19 there is a transverse slot 20 about 1%" long and up to approximately /5" in width. This slot is not at the extreme end of the dispenser, but is slightly to one side thereof, as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, for a purpose tot be described hereinafter.

The spreading dispenser 14 is screwed on to the nozzle of the tube 17 of shaving cream, and the cream is then expressed from the tube until the interior 21 of the dispenser 14 is filled. Further expression of cream from the tube 17 causes the cream to emerge at any desired rate through the slot 20 at the exit end of the dispenser 14. The combined dispenser 14 and tube 17 are held in the hand of the user, and the exit end 19 of the dispenser 14 is applied to the face, and the cream is caused to emerge at any desired rate while the dispenser is rubbed over the skin. This enables the user to apply shaving cream rapidly, and without getting cream on his fingers, and he can apply a uniform film of cream over any desired part of his skin more easily and with greater comfort than hitherto. The off-set location of the slot 20 referred to above is arranged so that when the device is in a comfortable position in the hand the slot 20 delivers cream on to the skin.

After use, the cream is not appreciably exposed to the atmosphere and no cap or cover is necessary, the device being ready for immediate re-use when required. Nevertheless, if desired, a simple cap (not shown) may be provided to protect the exit end of the dispenser.

After the collapsible container 17 is exhausted the dispenser remains filled with shaving cream which cannot be used. The dispenser is, however, transferred to a new container and is then ready for immediate use without wastage.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, to enable the dispenser to be used With different sizes of nozzle and dififerent brands of shaving cream, the internally threaded end 15 of the dispenser 14 may be provided with an externally and internally threaded bush 22 having at one end a knurled ring 23 slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the threaded end 15 of the dispenser.

in an alternative embodiment, shown in Figures 6 and 7, a hollow body 15 is provided with an internally threaded neck 16' and the exit slot 20 from interior 21' is much wider than that of the embodiment shown in Figures 1-3, and in this slot there is rotatably located a roller 24 slightly greater in diameter than the width of the slot 2% and arranged so that about one quarter of its cylindrical surface protrudes through the slot 20. The roller may be smooth or may be knurled or formed with pimples, grooves or other means indicated at 25 in Figure 6 to provide a massaging effect or to assist in the exit from the dispenser of a cream of appreciable stiffness. Again, entry end 15' can be threaded for engagement with the tube as shown at 16'.

in another embodiment shown in Figures 8 to 10 the dispenser is formed in one with the collapsible container. The dispenser proper conveniently consists of a moulded head 26 having an exit slot 27 formed in a smoothly curved surface substantially as previously described. A roller could be provided if desired. The maximum Width at the exit end is substantially maintained throughout the length of the dispenser, and at the entry end the dispenser proper 26 is fitted directly to the end of the collapsible container 28 during manufacture of the container. Such a construction may conveniently be of die-cast metal or of a synthetic resin such as polythene, to assist in the joining of the dispenser proper to the collapsible container, and they may be formed integrally if desired. The container 28 is of tubular form, and after it has been initially filled, the end 29 is flattened and sealed by heat 55 sealing, or by a clip 30, or in any way appropriate to the material of the container.

Such a dispenser 26 forms an expendable part with the container 28 and enables the shaving cream to be expressed from the container and spread over the skin direct from the exit slot 27 in the same manner as has already been described.

A spreading dispenser according to the invention may be used with containers other than collapsible containers. For example, a viscous liquid may be contained in an ordinary bottle or a flexible bottle and may flow therefrom respectively by gravity or by compressing the bottle; or the container may be rigid and have a piston or other means whereby the contents are forced out.

We claim:

A spreading dispenser for a collapsible container for applying a creamy substance, said dispenser being formed of rigid non-collapsible material, and comprising at one end a circular internally threaded neck for engagement with a nozzle on said collapsible container and at the other end a head with an outward flare in one plane, said head having on one side thereof a narrow transverse continuous exit slot approximately the same length as the breadth of the head in said one plane with a work engaging surface portion of the dispenser adjacent the slot,

an internal passageway extending between the neck and exit slot, said passageway having substantially the same width throughout the length thereof in a plane perpendicular to said one plane and having an increased width adjacent the slot in said one plane whereby an enlarged chamber is formed adjacent said exit slot in which the creamy substance is maintained almost motionless.

References tCited in the file of this patent 

